


Kings and Queens

by LadyKrystine



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Cute, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Post-Episode Ignis Verse 2, Self-Indulgent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:28:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27966056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyKrystine/pseuds/LadyKrystine
Summary: Two years after Ardyn's defeat and the rising of the sun, Iris Amicitia is living her best life and vibing as a monster hunter... but she can't help but shake a feeling that she should be doing something she should have done a long time ago.
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia/Ignis Scientia, Iris Amicitia/Noctis Lucis Caelum
Comments: 1
Kudos: 10





	Kings and Queens

**Author's Note:**

> This is an absolutely self-indulgent short fic. I wrote it for no other reason than because I wanted to.

“If all of the kings had their queens on the throne, we would pop champagne and raise a toast.”

The pop music played in Iris’s earbuds. It was a habit she had developed in the past year or two, since the sun rose again and the starscourge was defeated. While there weren’t many daemons around these days, there were still monsters that needed killing and errands to run. She knew her place was outside of Insomnia, helping to rebuild and repair. She was 27 now and still had the reputation as a daemon-slaying queen.

Now that the stakes were much lower, she didn’t feel as bad about listening to music as she completed her hunts and little missions. Her brother had done well in making a playlist she liked. It was a mix of older stuff, songs their mother would sing while she was cleaning, and newer stuff that was coming out of Insomnia as the capital city entered its renaissance. There were some she liked more than others, and this current song was one of them.

She wouldn’t admit it, but the song held a special meaning to her. Sometimes she imagined her long-time crush was the king mentioned, and she the queen.

“No damsel in distress, don’t need to save me. Once I start breathing fire, you can’t tame me.”

It was so true. The last she saw him and her brother and their other friends, she was a child. Not even an adult yet. She was head-over-heels in like for the guy, but he would never be hers. His heart was promised to someone else. She accepted it then. Truth be told, she accepted it now.

Even though her brother told her that things were different now.

Even though she knew that he had been seeing a therapist to work through the trauma.

Even though his childhood best friend insists in every text message ever sent to her that this guy wants to see her again.

She just couldn’t bring herself to make that trip.

“In chess, the king can move one space at a time, but queens are free to go wherever they like.”

Another bit of this song that felt like it held some special meaning to her. As it was, she was free to go wherever she wanted as long as the borders were open to Insomnians. While she had set up shop in Lestallum, by all accounts, she was a native to Insomnia and maintained the privileges afforded to those that can make such a claim. If she wanted to take a trip to Altissia for a week or two, she could. If she wanted to visit Cape Caem and indulge in those memories, she could. Nothing could stop her.

There was an amazing sense of freedom in being the younger Amicitia sibling. While her brother was to remain by King Noctis Lucis Caelum’s side as his sworn shield, his husband was right there on the other side. Ignis had gained the nickname of the sworn sword of the king, and rightfully so. Razor sharp and precise. Once again, reflecting on how happy her brother and brother-in-law were made her core ache.

She wanted that same kind of love and devotion. She wanted it so badly that it hurt sometimes. Curled up in her apartment, clinging to an old Moogle plush she made herself, she found herself wanting so much more than just the routine of hunting and errands… and loneliness.

The track on her music player had ended and went to the next. She was starting to regret picking this particular playlist. Where the first song could hold some key to empowerment, this one showed the opposite. It was the mourning of a relationship. One she never had.

“I know I can’t take one more step towards you, cause all that’s waiting is regret.”

She really needed to remove this song from the rotation. She didn’t really like it anymore. It only served to remind her that there were things that kept her from making any step toward home. She had tried to tell him once, to confess to everything she had felt for over 10 years. Something stopped her, though. Some inward, deep down thought that she would always be the group’s little sister. She’d always be that 5-year-old that got lost in the palace gardens. The 15-year-old that fawned over the Crown Prince of Lucis.

They’d never really see her as the grown woman she had become.

She hated it! Oh, how she hated it! She had a few scars of her own, mostly on her arms, and she had started getting her own tattoo done. On her upper thigh was a simple pairing of an iris and a gladiolus. Her and her brother. Every time she looked at it, she smiled. Though many miles away, at least this way she still held a part of her family with her.

With a growl of frustration, she impaled the ground with her longsword. Still a martial fighter, she had learned how to fight with a sword to supplement her fists. The song had changed again, this one a weird mix of mood.

“I’d do anything, just to hold you in my arms…”

Damnit! Okay. She had to do it. Fine, fine. Fates. Gods. Whomever was out there playing with her. Fine!

She dug her phone out of her pocket and took a deep breath. She scrolled through her contacts, looking for one number in particular. She pressed call and held the phone up to her ear.

One ring…

Two rings…

Three rings…

As the phone rang for a fourth time and she was losing courage, the line clicked as someone picked up on the other end.

“Hello?”

The voice was both familiar and strange to her. It had been far too long. Her breath caught as she inhaled sharply, the faintest gasp of surprise barely suppressed. Then, she replied.

“Hey, Gladdy. It’s, uh, been a while.”

\-----------

Iris had no idea what came over her. It was a week later, and she stood in the grand entrance chamber waiting for her brother to make himself known. He had promised to meet her. They had made plans to have lunch, then he’d take her to go see Ignis. She’d spend a couple days here before returning home. If all went as planned, she wouldn’t have to see Noctis at all.

But this was her brother, and when he was involved, nothing ever went the way she wanted them to go. As his large frame worked its way through the small crowd of people, he grinned. Once he was at her side, he looked down at her. That damned knowing look. Oh, he knew… he had to know something.

“I love seeing you, Iris, but you’re not here just to see me and Iggy. What do you need?”

“It’s not a need,” Iris admitted slowly, not quite meeting her brother’s gaze. “I want to talk to Noct.”

“Yeah, I figured, Moogle,” he replied, the use of her childhood nickname not going unnoticed. “Iggy’s busy rousing His Highness from his room. I’ll take you there, leave you with the door guard, and return to my post.”

“Thanks, Gladdy.” Iris felt weak and foolish.

“He’s been asking about you, y’know,” Gladio said. “Wanting to see you. It’s been way too long since you’ve been home.”

“I miss all of you,” she responded. Her words were chosen carefully as to not betray her meaning.

“Well, I’ll take you to him, then you can say whatever it is you want to say to him. Don’t say anything too embarrassing. I don’t care how old you get, I’ll always be your big brother and reserve any and all rights to tease you.”

Iris rolled her eyes and groaned. This was true. Still, she decided to not think about it as Gladio led her through the halls. True to his word, he left her with the guard at the door and returned to where she knew he’d be: Noct’s side. It was an agonizing couple of minutes that stretched out to feel like an eternity. Then, before she really became aware of what was going on, the guard pushed open the door and stepped through.

She followed, looking around in awe.

“Miss Iris Amicitia, Your Majesty, requesting an audience.” The guard’s tone was even and his gaze unflinching. Iris couldn’t help but wonder how many times this guard had brought some girl to this very room and announced her in this way. Would this be the place he received all of the propositions of marriages or alliances?

Pulling her from her thoughts, Noct spoke in a tone she could only describe as regal. “Very well, thank you. You may return to your post.”

The guard bowed and left. Noctis looked down at her from where he sat high up on his pedestal. His head tilted to the side, regarding her. He had the slightest smile playing at his lips.

“Your Majes---” Iris began, brown eyes huge. She looked moments away from crying. It was now or never, she rationalized, but she couldn’t start off being so formal. They knew each other far too well for that to ever work. “Noct.”

Noctis slid off his throne and made his way down to stand in front of her. “Iris. It’s been way too long.”

“I need to tell you something!” she blurted out before courage could escape her. “Can we go somewhere private? I’d rather not have everyone overhear this.”

Her eyes darted up to the two still standing beside the throne. Gladio and Ignis looked just as happy to get a few moments to themselves. Besides, they knew Iris. She was no threat to their king.

Noctis nodded his consent and gestured toward the door against the far wall. Iris knew this place. It was his private chamber, little more than a formality as Noctis spent as little time there as possible.

Once inside, they claimed the chairs. They faced each other, and Iris began fidgeting almost immediately. Damn her nerves. She could single-handedly take down just about any daemon she met, but when she was with Noctis, she was still the same, scared child. Great. Just great.

“So, what’s up?” Noct asked. All sense of formality was dropped. At least that was a relief.

“I need to tell you something. It’s… it’s something I wanted to tell you a couple years ago. Remember? When I called you before you--- No. You probably don’t remember. It was years ago, and you were so busy…” her voice trailed off.

“I remember.” Noct’s reply was short and simple. Right to the point, Iris thought. Just like she needed to be.

“Okay, I know this probably isn’t news to you, and you probably don’t feel the same, but I just need to say it. Okay?”

Noct said nothing, just gave that boyish cant of his head and watched her.

“I like you, Noct. Like, really like you. I have for such a long time. I mean, maybe even love? I don’t know! I don’t know how to do this. You’ve always been so kind to me, even as kids. I think that’s when I fell for you. I know you’ll always be promised to Luna, but I had to tell you…” Again, she trailed off. As silence fell and lingered, she risked a glance up to Noctis.

Where she had expected anger or even disgust, she only found kindness. That same kindness he showed her as children.

“Oh, is it my turn?” he asked, blissfully unaware of the inner turmoil brewing in the petite woman.

“Y-yeah, I guess so?” she responded.

Noct smiled and leaned forward in her chair. He placed one hand just under her chin, tilting her head up. He closed the last bit of distance and placed the softest kiss imaginable on her lips. Something sparked in her core, and she thought she was both going to melt and explode at the same time.

He lingered a moment before withdrawing. She stared at him in confusion, and he just chuckled.

“Join me for dinner, Iris. We can talk more about it then.” His request was so simple, yet…

“Noct?”

“I like you, too,” he reassured her. “Your brother’s been trying to get you back for the past year. He knew. So did Specs. I’m glad you finally came. So, yeah. Join me for dinner?”

“It would be my honor, my King.” Iris beamed.

Noctis stood up and offered an arm to her. “Now, shall we get back, my Lady?”

Iris stood and rested a hand on his arm. Her fingers curled around his sleeve and tugged slightly. He turned to face her, and she used her grip to support herself.

This time, she kissed him.

This time, she knew it wasn’t just a dream.

This time, she knew there were more to come.

**Author's Note:**

> The songs referenced are:  
> Kings and Queens by Ava Max  
> Jar of Hearts by Christina Perri  
> I'd do Anything by Simple Plan


End file.
